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I. HƲmours are removed seve∣ral ways, the chief of which are these four, 1. By Fri∣ction. 2. By Bathing. 3. By Sweating. 4. By Fasting. There are other ways of removing of Humours, as by Purging, Vomit∣ing, Ʋrine, and Salivation; but
these belong rather to Internal Administration, than Manual Operation.
II. Friction is a rubbing of the whole Body, or of some of its Parts, as Head, Back, Shoul∣ders, Arms, Thighs, Legs, &c. with course Cloths, or other proper things.
III. The Intention is, to disperse Humours, Excrements, Spirits, loosen Obstructions, open the Pores, divert Fluxes and Rheums, cause free Circulation of the Blood, prevent Scabs, Itch, Pustules, Breakings out, Tumours, Cramps, and take away cold pains, (cau∣sed through Congelation) in most parts of the Body.
IV. It is to be done with awarm Hand, Spunge, or course Linnen Clothwarmed; beginning at first softly, and increasing by de∣grees, till the place becomes red, first from lower Parts, and so ascending upwards.
V. If it be done soft and long, it opens the Pores, and wastes the Humours: if hard and short, it makes the Skin red for a time: if hard and long, it fastens and makes the Flesh hard, and stirs up natural heat.
VI. Baths are either Natural, or Artificial.
VII. Natural Baths are chiefly those at Bath (supposed to spring from Sulphur, and some Golden Mineral, Iron, &c.)
VIII. They are used in Palsies, Sciatica's, Numbness, Hardness, and Contractions of the Nerves, Morphew, Scabs, Scurf, old Sores, Tumors, old Pains, Dis∣eases of the Joints, Liver, Spleen, Itch, Leprosie, &c.
IX. Artificial Baths are made in Imitation of the Natural, and to the same intentions and pur∣poses: of which you may see several forms in Our Pharmac. Lond. which may easily be made much stronger, by the Solution of proper Minerals therein.
X. They are used either to the whole Body, or to a Part only; not too hot, for fear of hurting, and always after due purging.
XI. The time is chiefly at Eight in the Morning, and about Five in the Afternoon: At first, stay in not much above half an hour; the following times you may stay in an hour or two, as your strength and conveniency will serve.
XII. Being too much used, they dry and weaken the Body: Their use is to ease Pain, open the Pores, evacuate superfluous Hu∣mours, resolve, make thin, heat, cool, dry, moisten, cure Gouts, Sciatica's, Poxes, Leprosies, &c.
XIII. An Artificial Bath of Sulphur may be thus made. Take Flowers of Sulphur ℥xx. Salt of Tartar or Pot-ashes ℥x. Water lbx. mix, and boil for two hours, or something more, almost conti∣nually stirring it; then put it all together into a Bathing-tub almost full of warm Water, fit for Bathing in. It is excellent against Scabs, Itch, Scurf, Morphew, Lepro∣sie, French-Pox, and other Breakings out.
XIV. Sweating, it is used for all the same Intentions and Pur∣poses that Baths are designed for, and no ways inferiour to them; and being used three or four times a Year, is found to be a good expedient against the Scurvy, and to preserve the Bo∣dy in Health.
XV. Go into it in the Morning, with an empty Stomach (as to Food,) but it will be good to be repleat with two or three Glasses of Sack.
XVI. In the time of the Sweat, give some pleasant Sudorifick Cor∣dial, a little sharpned with Oil of Vitriol or Sulphur. Take Black-Cherry-water ℥ij. Our Aqua Be∣zoartica ℥j. Syrup of Citrons ℥ss. mix them. Or thus: Take Car∣duus Water ℥ij. Our Aqua Bezo∣artica ℥j. Syrup of Red Poppies ℥ss. Spirit of Sulphur, enough to give it a grateful acidity.
XVII. Stay in as long as may be conveniently, but come forth before Fainting, wiping off (in the mean season) the Sweat with warmed Napkins.
XVIII. Then let the Patient be immediately laid in a warm Bed, and covered with Cloths, where let them Sweat well again for two or three Hours, and if they can, repose themselves to sleep.
XIX. If they enter into the Sweat about seven or eight in the Morning, they may rise before Dinner, and use gentle Exercise, keeping themselves warm, be∣cause the Pores are open.
XX. The way of doing it, is in Hartman's Chair, with Spirit of Wine set on Fire: Which certain∣ly was one of the most happy In∣ventions in the World: I shall omit the description of it at this time, because it is now com∣mon in London.
XXI. Fasting is of use (whilst the Body is emptying) to lessen the quantity of Humors, by hindering their Generation, and this chiefly in universal ill habits, and el∣derly people: For Children are scarcely able to bear it, nor Cho∣lerick People; for Bile causes a vast Consumption of Humi∣dity.
XXII. This possibly is one of the most useful courses in the whole Art of Physick or Chirurgery; for as much as many Diseases may be cured by Fasting alone, which no other course could do any good in.
XXIII. Besides, the Stomach being empty, draw Humours from all other Parts of the Body; by which means they come to be removed, and so cast forth in the common Draught, with the other Recrements of the Body.
XXIV. More especially, it is to be used in all Diseases proceeding from fulness, for in them it makes an Alteration almost to a Mira∣cle; and therefore it is of great use in Surfeits of every kind, and Diseases proceeding from Gluttony, Gormandizing, and Drunkenness.